Say When
by IansDestiny
Summary: Continuation of the evening in 'Truth or Shots'. Liz doesn't love Red, but she's not above using him. Chapter 3 has now been posted and the story changed to complete.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the continuation of the evening from 'Truth or Shots'. It is not something I normally write so please read with a grain of salt. I understand this is a very unlikely scenarios but that is the beauty of fanfiction! **

**All normal disclaimers apply- I've nothing to do with The Blacklist and make no money this is solely for entertainment. **

**Also a huge shout out to SilverArrow82 for being an amazing Beta, please note that after 'Enter at own risk' the rest of the story has not been beta'd. All errors are my own, I apologize in advance.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

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Allowing Red to lead her by the hand towards his room, Liz couldn't believe she had essentially just agreed to a one-night stand with Number four on the FBI's most wanted list. If word of this reached anyone on the task force, let alone her superiors, she would be out of a job. Although if she were being perfectly honest with herself: tonight, she didn't care.

No matter how many times she told herself that this was horrendous mistake, that Red was the worse type of wrong for her**.** She wanted him. He only need speak to her and even the logical part of her brain would melt into a puddle at his feet. She was much too old for this type of thing**,** but every time she felt his hand flex around hers, her breath still caught and her mind wandered to highly inappropriate things.

Still intent on making sure she didn't regret this decision come morning, Red opened the door to his dimly lit bedroom, gesturing her inside. Holding her gaze, as if to give her one last chance to turn back, Red paused and waited on baited breath for her to make a move. Not touching her was the most difficult thing he'd ever done in his life. Feigning indifference at this time was near impossible. He would willingly suffer through every torture ever inflicted on him again, if he could make time move faster. Looking up, he drank in the sight of her flushed cheeks and the way her chest rose and fell just a bit faster than normal and he knew her answer. He only need wait for her to admit it to herself.

She had never met a man who radiated self-assurance and power the way Red did, and the thought of him bending her to his will for the night was enthralling. Smiling at Red, she moved her hands to the buttons of her blouse before turning around and backing into the darkened room before him.

A small, knowing smile formed on Red's lips as he followed closely behind her, closing the door behind him. Slowly he stalked towards her. "You've been driving me insane for weeks." following her around the side of the bed, his voice dropped dangerously. **"**Every time you have a new way to tempt me, and you haven't even a clue."

Liz hung on every word he said, she couldn't take her eyes off him as she hit the last button of her blouse. Shrugging it off her shoulder, she allowed it to slip down her arms and fall silently to the floor. Still locking eyes with him, she slowly descended to the bed in a seated position and pushed herself backwards towards the center.

"The only things that has kept me from actively pursuing you," Red's eyes darkened at her movement, "Was the fear they'd shut down the task force or you would shoot me-." Kneeling on the bed and slowly leaning forward onto his hands he continued, "Now I can't muster up enough concern for that." Forcing her to lie down, he caged her between his arms.

Looking up into his eyes, just inches from hers now, she saw the desire raging in them and it sent shivers running through her body.

"I've given you a number of opportunities to turn back from this, Elizabeth." Using one hand to support himself, he raised the other hand to skim across her cheek, running his thumb softly over her lower lips. "The only thing that will stop me now, is if you turn me away, but you will need to make up your mind quickly," Red whispered roughly, lowering his head towards her, leaving barely a hair's breadth between their lips. "Because I've never felt so close to losing control."

Emboldened by the power she currently held over him, she lifted her head and whispered her answer breathily against his ear. "I don't want you in control, Raymond." Liz heard him growl just before his fingers wrapped tightly in her hair, pulling her head back so he could claim her mouth with his.

xxxxxxxxxxxEnter at own riskxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Red settled his weight onto her, pressing her firmly into the mattress below as he reveled in the feel of her beneath him. Her knees bent of their own accord, accepting him as he ravished her lips.

Liz reached both arms around to grasp at his back, trying to pull him closer to her, gasping as he rolled his hips and she felt his hard length come into contact with her already soaking core.

Using his grip on her hair to pull her head to the side, his lips trailed a path of pure heat down the side of her neck. "What if I want to claim you as my own?" He paused at her pulse point to scrape his teeth against her skin and favored the sound she made as she cried out, jerking beneath him and pressing herself against him. "I could press myself inside you. Possess you, so thoroughly, that just one night will never be enough." His tongue soothed the small mark he'd made and then continued down over her collarbone. "You're going to crave my touch, just as much as I you."

Between his voice and his touch, Liz's senses were in overload. "Red, please?" She didn't even know what she was asking for but her fingers clenched at his shirt trying to pull it from him, followed by her arching her back as his lips skimmed along the lacy edge of her bra.

"As much as I enjoy your choice lingerie, I think it's time for this to go." His words rumbled against her chest before he pulled back, removing her bra with little effort. Trailing a feather light touch over her skin, a salacious grin slipped over his lips as he watched the beauty before him. "You are absolutely perfect," his voice was deep with desire and seemed to radiated directly to her core.

Liz's breath rushed from her at the feeling of the cool air caressing her overheated skin and she moaned softly as he leaned back down to her and she felt his breath puff against her nipple. "Part of me wants to take my time to worship and memorize every inch of you," He teased her mercilessly, kissing his way across every inch of her chest while steadfastly ignoring the tormented buds that were screaming for his attention. "The other part of me wants to spend the rest of the night taking you in as many ways possible, before we both pass out from exhaustion." When her verbal cries reached a crescendo, Red pulled back to torment her just a little more.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and a breathy plea escaped her lips, "Please, Red!" Sitting forward slightly, she grabbed the front of his dress shirt and pulled sharply, sending buttons flying off in all directions as it separated. When the sight of his chest, covered in a fine layer of hair, was finally open to her, she couldn't help the groan that slipped from her lips as she ran her fingers through it. Taking a moment to run her hands up and down his chest, enjoying how he responded to her touch.

Red only allowed her exploration for a moment before taking charge once again, grabbing her wrists and pushing them above her head, he pinned her to the bed beneath him. "Tell me you want me, Elizabeth?"

"You talk too much!" She shot back, straining against his restraints on her wrists.

"Say It!" Red demanded, keeping his distance from her, holding her tightly against the bed with both her wrists and his lower body.

Staring up at him with challenge in her eyes, Liz barely hesitated with her response, "I want you Raymond."

That was all Red needed to hear. Releasing his grip on her wrist, he slid his hands down her arms, caressing her body while removing the rest of her clothing. Backing himself off the bed slowly, he continued gazing down at the goddess lying before him while ridding himself of his remaining clothing, standing before her in all of his naked glory.

Liz took this opportunity to climb to her knees, approaching the end of the bed to meet him as he moved towards the bed. As two became one, they both gasped at their first intimate contact. The feel of feverish skin on skin, drove their desire to new heights.

Red claimed her mouth in a violent kiss, as his hands traveled all over every inch of reachable flesh. His wandering hand, finally coming to rest on her most intimate place between the softness of her legs, his ministrations eliciting a throaty moan from her as his skillful fingers masterfully played the soft nub he found hidden between her silken folds. She moaned against his mouth when he touched her, his strong fingers probing deep inside her, garnering great pleasure from feeling how slick and ready she was for him already.

Moving slowly down her body, Red kissed his way to her stomach, playfully nipping at her hip bone before he moved his hands to her thighs, gently separating them.

Liz's fingers twisted deeply into the sheets as she arched against the assault from his mouth. For the first time since their encounter started, they weren't Red and Liz anymore. She had completely forgotten all of the bad things he had brought into her life. In this moment they were Elizabeth and Raymond, lovers experiencing one another for the first time.

Settling himself at his prize, he alternated between his fingers and tongue choosing on more than one occasion to use them both at the same time to stimulate her climax.

Her moans and gasps were enough to satisfy any man. He had never been as full and hard as he was at that moment. He needed her; needed to be inside of her. Climbing slowly up her body, he took one of her hands and guided it between them, allowing her to make the next move.

Even in her pleasure addled brain, Liz still instinctively knew what Red wanted from her. This entire night had been about her, everything he had said and done was on her terms: it had to be her choice. Taking his hardened flesh in her warm hand, she felt empowered. Watching his face contort with desire, his mouth fell open slightly as he panted, waiting for her. Using her hand to adjust him, she leaned up at the same time to capture his lips in a forceful kiss.

Red returned her kiss as he rolled his hips forward, slowly entering her tight body, he pulled away from her mouth to groan, "Jesus-"

Liz gasped as he entered her, the feel of him stretching her, tore a moan from her lips. Grasping at his back, she stilled at the feel of damaged flesh beneath her wandering fingers, looking up at him in confusion.

He stilled his movement, watching the play of emotions run over her beautiful features. Not offering an explanation, he began to move with a purpose now. Refusing to change positions, he grabbed her hands to pin them to the bed above her with one of his large hands. With his other hand, Red squeezed her hip as he began thrusting into her with earnest. Liz cried out in pleasure as he kissed her, finally releasing her hand to ghost feather light touches over every sensitive part of her body, slowly coaxing her toward her completion with every thrust.

Liz's climax came quick and without warning. Crying out his name, as her inner walls clenched around him, shattering his resolve as he too tumbled into ecstasy with her.

Neither of the two were quick to move, choosing rather to relish the contact with one another in an attempt to prolong their first time together. When their breathing finally began to slow to a normal pace, Red regretfully removed himself from her body. The instant loss was felt by both parties. Gracefully rolling to the side, he pulled her with him so she lay across his chest.

Resting her head on his chest, Liz listened to the rapid beating of his heart and felt something inside her stomach clench involuntarily. "_Damn this man!" _She thought begrudgingly, he was right. She wanted more of him. She wanted more of his voice, and his hands. How he knew how to play her body without asking. She wanted more answers from him: like the scars she felt across his back. But for this moment, she just wanted to be held by him.

Red could feel the tension in her body, "You already have the answers to the questions you're contemplating. Let it go." With his free hand, he began to lightly run his fingers across the soft skin of her back.

'_The Fire'_ Her mind automatically answered for her. Rather than dwelling on the topic anymore tonight, she decided to change the subject, "Will you still be here when I wake up?"

"That will be after sunrise, it could complicate this." He reminded her, lifting his head to look at her before pulling her onto his chest. "Besides, you didn't think we were done, did you?"

The surprise on her face was clear, "What? Again?" She asked in disbelief.

"Sweetheart," Red said, pulling her down into a deep kiss before pulling back only slightly. "Did you forget the part where we pass out? There was never any mention of falling asleep."

xXxXxXxXxXThe Next Morning XxXxXxXxXx

Daylight began creeping in through the slightly open curtains, hanging over the window beside the bed. The bright ray of morning light, landed directly on Liz's sleeping face. She lay sprawled, face down across the bed, with only a corner of the sheet draped half hazard across her bottom. In her exhausted state, she reached out to the other side of the bed, searching out the warmth and comfort Red had offered through the night, only to find the other side of the bed cold and empty.

Grasping the corner of the sheet, she pulled it around the rest of her body as she sat up, looking around the room. With the exception of a blanket laying on the floor at the end of the bed and her clothes strewn around the room, there was no evidence of the events that had transpired the evening before.

Leaning back against the headboard, Liz sat quietly, staring off across the empty bedroom feeling quite conflicted. On one hand, Red had done exactly what she'd asked of him; he'd given her answers she needed, then he satisfied a desire she was loathe to admit had been plaguing her for weeks. But on the other hand, he had awoken something inside her that she wasn't ready to acknowledge at this point. She had intended to use him for answers, the sex had just been an added bonus: so why did she now feel like the one who had been used?

The familiar chime of her cell phone, finally pulled her from her reverie. Glancing at the nightstand beside the bed, she raised a confused eyebrow at the offensive object. "I didn't put you there last night..." She mumbled, reaching for the object. As she flipped it over to check the message, she was surprised to see a note stuck to it. Two words in familiar script were scrawled across the note: _Say When._

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**A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed. I have 2 more chapters sketched out to round out this story but they are tabled until I update 'Paying for His Sins'. In case you're wondering about the title and final words 'Say When' I actually have been listening to Lonestar's song 'Say When' while coming up with this follow up story.**

**Normally at this point in my AN I say leave love or hate...I have changed this to leave love or constructive criticism. **

**Always,**

**Lady**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own anything related to TBL, just borrowing the characters for fun. **

**On the same note: If you see this work on another site for sale please PM, I make no money off this- it is only for entertainment. **

**This was my attempt to update a story and thanks to the Lizzington 1k 10 day+ prompt challenge I came up with this(You'll see it towards the end). A huge shout out to my Beta (Hugs ****SilverArrow82****) you are fantastic and I greatly appreciate all that you do.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

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**Chapter 2**

Neither of them spoke about that night. More specifically, Red distanced himself from Liz and she, in return, refused to spend any unnecessary time in his presence. They could barely be around one another without Liz verbally attacking him.

Her blinding anger was the reason she was running for her life down a hallway in heels and a torn dress. Liz had refused to review the mission before they had left; she'd been too furious to function or retain information. This dire decision left her woefully uninformed as the evening's events began to transpire, and when Reddington sold out Samar to Madeline in an attempt to ease her concerns about selling 'The Inventory' to him. Liz had reacted and blown the entire mission.

***Earlier at the PO***

For the first time since their partnership had begun, Red had no witty retorts or scathing double entendres to offer. He made no snide remarks alluding to their physical activities, choosing to keep their conversations strictly business related- which seemed to infuriate Liz even more.

Her anger blinded her. She wanted him to at least acknowledge their experience, even if it was a colored off-handed comment, a joke about her stamina in physical activities, or a hushed inquiry about her choice of undergarments for the day. Something that could confirm it had actually happened, that perhaps it had even meant something. But for once since meeting Raymond Reddington- nothing.

Now she was forced to sit in a mission briefing and listen to him. If looks could kill, there would be a pen sticking out of his neck again, but this time no EMT would be rushing to save him. Leaning against a table opposite of Red, she could barely restrain her contempt, choosing rather to roll her eyes and sigh loudly.

Her actions did little to interrupt Red's continued rambling about their undercover mission to reclaim 'The Inventory' - a list of undercover CIA agents stolen by their current Blacklister Sly Pelissi. Pelissi intended to sell off The Inventory to the highest bidder with the help of another Blacklister: Madeline Pratt.

Refusing to acknowledge her childish behavior, Red kept his eyes focused on the rest of the task force. "This recovery is going to be complicated because Maddie has met Agent Keen, she will know something is awry if we were to show up together. I will need the assistance of Agent Navabi for this particular event."

This caught Liz's attention as well as Samar's, both offering him a confused look.

"You're joking?" Liz blurted out. "So I have to be sidelined because your girlfriend is back in town?" Her outburst drew confused looks from Ressler and Cooper.

"Why wouldn't it be beneficial to utilize Agent Keen since Pratt is familiar with her and has already vetted her personally?" Samar asked incredulously.

"I never use the same associate when working with my regular contacts, Maddie knows this very well," Red answered Samar, barely acknowledging Liz. "The entire mission would be compromised the moment she laid eyes on Agent Keen."

Sensing the hostility beginning to escalate, Cooper interrupted, "Ok Agent Navabi, you're with Reddington. Keen and Ressler, you're the eyes and ears for backup inside. If something goes south, extract then detain." Nodding at his team, they began to disperse to their assigned tasks.

Red watched Cooper's retreating form for a moment before attempting to make contact with Liz, "Lizzie, this isn't p-"

"Go to hell," she snapped, cutting him off. Red blatantly ignoring her for weeks- she was dealing with- but now sidelining her was the final straw. Pushing away from the table, she moved to make her own retreat. Liz had every intention to stay far away from the pompous bastard who stood before her. The wretch who had used her, once again, for his own personal gains.

"Lizzie, Wait!" Red cried out, reaching for her arm as she moved to walk past him.

Pulling her firearm, Liz held it eye level at Reddington, the muzzle mere inches away from his face. "Touch me and I'll kill you." Anger poured from her in waves. Her defensive posture reminiscent of someone in 'fight or flight' mode; she was torn between attacking him and getting as far away from him as possible.

The others around them stopped, no one brave enough to move, let alone make a sound at the tense standoff occurring before them. It wasn't until Red, with a defeated look on his face, raised his hands in surrender, did she lower her weapon to her side.

Turning from Red, she moved quickly towards a shocked and confused looking Ressler, pausing briefly beside him to glare at the others over her shoulder. "I'll be in the car." Holstering her weapon once again, Liz took off in the direction of the exit at a brisk pace.

Ressler turned to watch her for a moment before turning back to Reddington, who looked surprisingly stoic. "I'm confused," Ressler mumbled, watching his partner's retreating form.

Red made no move to follow Liz as she stormed off. Palming his hat on to his head, he glanced in Ressler's direction, "That really isn't new territory for you, Donald," Red remarked shortly. "As a matter of fact, I think I'll have it made into a t-shirt for you to wear under your dress shirts, like Clark Kent." Not bothering to wait for Ressler's inevitably slow come back, Red turned to Samar and Dembe, "We need to move quickly to make our meeting. Donald, Dembe will contact you with the details for the evening."

****Present****

The task force had been in a highly dangerous situation requiring stealth above all things, and she had allowed her 'relationship' or lack of, to compromise a mission. Now their extraction plan had gone to hell, leaving Samar and Ressler scrambling towards the evac site while Liz drew Pratt's hired guns away in a race for her life.

The men were chasing her through the corridors of the large mansion Pratt was using for the auction, and they were gaining on her by the second. Turning a corner, Liz decided to stop running and stand her ground. Kicking off her heels, she made a decision; if she was going to die, she was going to go down fighting. She refused to continue running from every difficult moment in her life.

Just as she leveled her gun at the corner of the corridor, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and a hand cover her mouth. She was roughly pulled backwards into a little storage closet just as the Gunmen had been rounding the corner.

In the darkness of the storage closet, a familiar scent assaulted her senses and immediately produced two opposing reactions in her when she realized whom held her: Anger and Lust. Liz found herself fighting against both reactions while another part of her subconsciously reveled in the feeling of Red pressed against her, his vice like grip holding her firmly against every part of his upper body.

His grip didn't ease up as he held her close to him and whispered in her ear.

It was nothing scandalous or flirtatious. It had, in fact, been the absolute worst possible time for her brain to become muddled like it had. The adrenaline pulsing through her did nothing to help the situation, every nerve ending seemed to be overly sensitive, and the logical side of her brain had abandoned her when it realized exactly who she was being held against.

"Be quiet Lizzie." His lips were so close that they lightly brushed against her ear and his breath trailed a line of sensation down the side of her neck.

Her traitorous body reacted upon its own accord. Using the hand pinned by his arm, she moved it slightly behind her to grasp his thigh, intent on keeping him close to her.

The feel of her hand on his leg spurred Red into action, "How utterly ridiculous it was, thinking it wise to stand and fight at a time like this. Since I've no desire to see you commit suicide tonight, please try to refrain from letting your stubbornness undermine your intelligence."

The hand over her mouth lowered slowly, ghosting feather light touches down her arm to the handle of her service pistol. "What are you doing down here?" She asked, moving the weapon away from his wandering hand, yet refusing to move herself away from him. All of the anger and resentment over the last few weeks seemed to disappear as he held her.

"Saving you," he shot back, before the sound of pounding footsteps moving outside the door drew both of their attention. "Don't Move!" His voice came out a bit more forceful than he'd intended, and he knew almost instantly that he'd made a horrible mistake.

He felt a shiver pass through her body and heard her breath catch before she went absolutely still. Just as he'd commanded.

Now here, in this small confined space, pressed against the woman he lived for, blood began to abandon his brain and pool in a much lower region making him throb against her backside.

That was all it took for Liz's befuddled brain to trail away, back to that night only weeks before. No sweet nothings, no promises of pleasure, just his voice. The dark, silky timbre of his voice had slid into her soul and wrapped around her body in a way that she knew he could demand anything from her, and she would be helpless to do anything but obey him. Laying her head back against his shoulder, "Red, I'm saying when…" she whispered as she moved her backside ever so slightly against him, earning a hiss from his lips.

The logical side of them knew this was wrong and extremely dangerous, but the weeks of tension since their last encounter had done terrible things to both rational brains.

Flexing the arm around her to still her movements, Red inquired, "What should I do with you, Elizabeth?" The gravely quality in his words felt like silk sliding against her skin and she struggled to put a sentence together as his thumb began tracing a light path across the undersides of her breasts.

Turning her head towards his neck, her next comment came out like a whisper, "Anything you want to." Against her better judgement, she undulated her body against his once again, testing the waters of his self-control.

The low growl that rumbled in his chest forced a small whimper from her throat and then she moaned as she found herself spun sharply and pressed forcefully up against the wall. Using his body, he pinned her in place and she could feel the evidence of his desire pulsing against her stomach. Reaching down, he relieved her of her weapon, stashing it in the waistband against his back. Grasping hold of both her wrists, he brought them above her head, crossing them and holding them in place with one of his hands, and then he lowered his head to brush his lips against hers as he whispered, "Mine."

Shock didn't even begin to cover how she'd felt at his claim. Promptly she responded, "Yours," before leaning forward, closing the gap between their lips.

Releasing her wrists, his hands traveled quickly down to the back of her upper thighs and grasped tightly, lifting her up even with his waist.

Liz needed no direction, as quickly as he released her wrists she moved her arms around his neck to pull him deeper into their kiss all the while wrapping her legs around him. The movement and contact elicited a moan from deep in her throat as his body settled against her most intimate place.

When the need for air became too great, they pulled away only slightly, resting their foreheads together, "We can't just stop," Red spoke softly. Pulling back slightly to look into her eyes, he made sure she heard him before continuing, "I can't just stop with you. You're the worst type of addiction, and quitting cold turkey has been torture, Sweetheart."

His words traveled directly into her core, eliciting a primal response from her, "I want you."

His response came immediately, "I crave you." Moving up her thigh, he maneuvered his hand towards the object of his desire.

"_**KEEN**_!" The unmistakable voice of Donald Ressler interrupted their moment, completely eviscerating the private trance both were enthralled by inside the small closet.

"Damn it!" Liz hissed, reaching for the earring that held her tracking device and crushed it in her hand.

_**"KEEN?! WHERE ARE YOU?"**_

"Boy Wonder to save the damsel in distress," Red remarked in a quiet voice. It took every ounce of his control to set her down and move away from her. He wanted nothing more than to revel in the feeling of her body pressed up against his again. He wanted to hear her call his name once more, but with Ressler on the hunt, it wasn't possible. Reaching for her weapon, he handed it back to her. "I'll deliver Maddie to you, with The Inventory, just give me two days."

Liz didn't have the opportunity to respond before Red turned and slipped out the door, disappearing through a pathway across from the storage closet she hadn't previously seen, just as Ressler appeared around the corner behind her.

Moving beside his partner, he gently touched her elbow. "You ok?" Ressler asked, taking in her slightly flushed appearance and missing shoes.

She couldn't believe she had caved so easily to Reddington after how he had treated her these past weeks. Her body had acted of its own accord, without her consent, and he had ran with it. "No, I'm not," she spat back at him as she stormed away. _'I'm so stupid', _she mentally chastised herself as she maneuvered towards the evac point.

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**A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed. I have 1 more chapter left for this story. Hopefully it doesn't take me 6 months to write it this time. Also my sincerest apologies about my lack of updating PFHS- I will try get the next chapter actually to text as quickly as my flighty muse cooperates.**

**Normally at this point in my AN I say leave love or hate...I have changed this to leave love or constructive criticism. **

**Always,**

**Lady**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own anything related to TBL, just borrowing the characters for fun.**

**On the same note: If you see this work on another site for sale please PM, I make no money off this- it is only for entertainment.**

**This has not been beta'd- I just worked to get something down. Please excuse the errors. I tried to correct as many as I could find.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

Chapter 3

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Liz sat quietly in her dimly lit office, absently staring at the bright numbers slowly descending on the screen of her phone. Stacks of debriefing paperwork sat untouched on the corner of her desk from their recent escapade with Pratt, while she sat obsessing over those agonizingly slow creeping digits.

If it were true a watched pot never boils, then the same could be said that a watched phone never rings. Elizabeth Keen wasn't waiting for his call. That would be ridiculous! She was waiting on an update regarding the apprehension of a dangerous Blacklister, and the recovery of highly sensitive information crucial to saving American lives. Reddington said he would have both turned over to her in 2 days, she intended to hold him to that!

Glancing at her phone once more, Liz couldn't help but feel both equal parts shame and anger about what had transpired between them. The shame was because of how easily she submitted to him. It took little more than the sound of his voice and the first physical contact they had shared in weeks, to reduce her to a woman she barely recognized. Leaving Liz a wanton woman, desperate for a quickie in a broom closet with him. The anger was as much at him as it was herself. She; for her inability to stop thinking of him and for wanting him. Him; for being HIMSELF and attempting to capitalize on her weakness. The two of them made a rather ridiculous pair.

Deciding to drown her thoughts in paperwork for the time being, Liz switched her phone to vibrate and tossed it into her desk drawer. If he called he could leave her a message. She wasn't going to be caught sitting around watching the phone like some teenager.

Pulling the closest stack of papers towards her, she decided to get down to business and forget about Reddington. At least, she intended to try to for the next 26 hours.

* * *

*Back at her apartment*

She hadn't heard a single thing from Reddington all day. Not while she was at the office pushing through paperwork. Not traveling home and picking up Chinese food for dinner. Not even after a long hot shower, where she couldn't keep the tears from flowing freely in the privacy of her shower.

Everything had gone so horribly wrong since their little drinking game. Reflecting back on it now, Liz realized it to be what it really had been all along: a brilliantly played power move by a cunningly devious and ridiculously brilliant criminal mastermind interested in proving who helmed the ship on which they were traveling.

The revelation was a hard pill to swallow. The truth sat heavy in her chest, leaving her standing under the water doing the only thing she could: she cried. Hot water cascading down her face did nothing to hide the gut wrenching sobs and flowing tears that mingled with the water pooling at her feet. She had been an utter fool to believe she could maintain control of her life with Raymond Reddington still consuming her every thought.

Once the water ran cold, she forced herself to admit the reason it hurt so much- she loved him. After she wrapped herself in a towel, she stood in front of the bathroom mirror and just stared.

"I love Raymond Reddington." The words felt odd tumbling from her mouth. Not dirty or wrong in any way, just odd. Different. Shaking her head, she headed for her bedroom to dress.

A short time later, a comfortably dressed Liz padded down the stairs towel drying her hair. Slipping quietly through the hallway, she headed into the kitchen to pour herself some wine and grab her matches. Grabbing her cell phone, she headed back into her living room, tossing the towel down the hallway as she padded quietly over to the sofa.

It didn't take Liz long to get herself situated on the sofa. Soft music drifted around the dim room as she casually picked up her glass of wine and tucked her feet beneath her as she reached for the small paper with 'Say When' in Red's perfect script handwriting.

Flipping the paper over in her fingers, she could picture him watching her sleep as he wrote it. Red continued to play with her; even after everything they had been through together. He'd seen first hand how she suffered because of Tom. After EVERYTHING- He still needed to have the upper hand with her; display his power over her by making HER come back to HIM. To force her to tell him she wanted him. As pathetic as she must have looked in that broom closet, she'd never make that mistake again. Liz vowed she would go back to Tom before she'd go crawling back to Reddington.

Leaning forward, Liz held the note over the small flame of the candle she'd lit. The corner began to burn and moments later a flame started to creep up the side of the paper. She took pleasure in watching the paper burn. When it became too hot to hold, she set it on the plate beneath the candle and took pleasure in watching the smoldering ashes flicker at her.

Liz knew what she needed to do. She needed to take her power back! To re-establish the lines in the sand and this time lay them with concrete blocks that couldn't be blown away with a little alcohol and some sweet words.

The chirping of her cell brought her out of her own thoughts. Grabbing it off the table, she set her glass down when she saw it was Ressler. "Keen."

"I don't know how the hell he does it," Was all Ressler said.

"Does what?" When nothing else followed his awkward statement, Liz pulled her cell back to see if the call had dropped. "Ressler! Who does what?"

"Reddington." Ressler snapped. "I'm watching three FBI agents walk Madeline Pratt in, and Cooper said we just received The Inventory- in tact. How the hell does he do it?!"

In less than two days, Raymond Reddington had saved countless American lives and captured a dangerous Blacklister- true to his word. All of it was done while completely cutting her out of the case. "I don't know." Liz replied, a bit off kilter as she continued to stare at the smoldering remains on the plate before her.

"Well right now I don't ca…" Liz hung up on Ressler mid sentence, resisting the urge to throw her phone in frustration.

"So much for only speaking with Elizabeth Keen." She snapped, taking a gulp of her wine and forcibly setting the glass on the coffee table.

That was the last straw. She was done playing this game with him. Scrolling back through her contacts, she clicked on Nick's Pizza and selected to send a text message, "_Where are you? We need to talk." _After hitting send, she stood up and started heading towards the steps to change with a renewed determination. It was time to start taking an offensive stance against Reddington rather than always being on the defensive.

She didn't even get past the third step on the stairs before her doorbell rang. Liz stopped dead in her tracks and threw her head back, groaning in frustration. She didn't know why she thought for one moment they could do this on her terms.

Glancing down at her shorts and tank top, she ran her fingers through her still damp hair and contemplated continuing upstairs to change. She wanted to make him wait just that much longer. The other part of her wanted to surprise him with her current state of undress, possibly throwing him off his game enough to help tip the scales in her favor for once.

Setting her shoulders, she turned on the steps and headed back down towards the front door. Pausing only briefly to compose herself, Liz wrenched the door wide open revealing Raymond Reddington in full combat gear: Fedora, mid-length jacket and three piece suit.

They both stood at the door in silence just observing the other.

Finally Red cleared his throat, "You said we needed to talk?"

Liz nodded. "Come in." She replied, stepping back and waving him inside.

He moved past her, removing his fedora and laying it on the hall table as he made his way into the living room. "Did I interrupt something?" He asked, gesturing at the coffee table.

Liz shook her head as she followed him, "No. I just hadn't cleaned up since I was planning on going to meet you."

"Ah. Yes, well I was in the area when Dembe received your message." He maneuvered around the coffee table, removing his jacket as he went and laid it on the back of the sofa. Taking a seat, he draped his arm across the back and watched her. " I assume Donald informed you of the task force's latest apprehension?"

"I thought we were partners?" She retorted, taking a seat opposite of him. "I assumed you would contact me about Pratt and the Inventory…"

"I made good on my promise," He replied, glancing around the room at everything but the woman sitting before him, "The Inventory is safe, Madeline is getting cozy in her new accommodation. Chalk up another win for your government."

"You have gone above and beyond to ignore me, to distance yourself from me." Liz stated, matter of factly to him.

Red stared at her for a moment before shaking his head, "That's not true."

"Oh really?" Liz snapped back. " You request Samar for the mission, saddled me with Ressler, then after the closet -"

"Is that what this is all about?" He inquired, "Our little rendezvous?"

"NO!"

"I was there to save your life!" He replied, waving towards her. " What came next was all of your own accord."

"You didn't have to sleep with me!" Liz went right at the elephant in the room. Both of them went silent when her words were practically shouted. They knew this conversation had nothing to do with the The Inventory, Madeline Pratt or anything outside this room.

Red contemplated his next words carefully before speaking, his mouth moving once. Twice. Before he found his voice, "You're right." He admitted, "I didn't have to-I wanted to."

Liz watched him closely, recognizing his ticks she'd come to appreciate when trying to read him. She watched as he drew his arm away from the sofa to rest his hand gently on his stomach before crossing his leg one over the other away from her to shut himself off to her. "I didn't want this…" she told him honestly.

"What exactly DID you want then, Elizabeth?" Red shot back at her.

She hated when he used her name like that- that he always pushed her for answers, when he himself was so tight lipped. "It's not that simple and you know it."

"Isn't it?" He asked her incredulously. "Let's simplify it then, shall we?"

"No! I'm .." she couldn't even finish her sentence before he started talking over her.

"Did we agree to rules that night?" He asked pointedly.

Glaring daggers at him, Liz shot back. "Rules you established."

He continued on, unfazed by her outburst, "Yes or No?"

"Yes but," He was trying to make this about black and white. Nothing about them could be so simple as 'Yes or No'.

Red held up his hand, effectively cutting her off again, "Did you offer any alterations of your own to our little 'game'?"

Liz looked at him incredulously, "Are you seriously asking me-"

"Yes or no?"

"No- I didn't!" Liz fumed under his interrogation.

Red sat forward and pointed at her now, "You allowed me to set the rules to ease your mind. You gave way to my suggestions so you could excuse away your actions later...just as you are trying to do now."

She had heard enough! Slamming her hands down on the chair arms, she shot out of her seat. "Now that is a flat out lie!

Red didn't acknowledge her but continued on, "So I left, like we agreed."

Beginning to pace, she turned to him again, "Oh yes! Your famous exit, how could I ever forget." Stopping with her back to him she asked, "Did you feel anything?! Or is that your normal MO?" She cocked her head to the side to check for his response.

"Did I feel? Your questioning my feelings about that night?" He struggled momentarily to find words before he began to laugh a heavy and sarcastic tone. "You never once gave a damn about my feelings! You used me to make yourself feel better. You've known for some time now how I felt about you. You exploited my feelings for you- now who is the Narcissist?"

Liz fell silent, she really had no retort. Turning towards him, she attempted to come up with some type of response. She truly didn't know how to answer him without giving away how she really felt. Swallowing hard, she just stood there watching him. Hot tears stung her eyes and she kept blinking to hold them at bay.

Uncrossing his legs he sat forward, tilting his head slightly to the side he watched her for a moment before lowering his voice, "I didn't burden you with how much it killed me to leave you that morning." He took a few calming breaths before he continued, "Nor the pain I've suffered watching you from afar since. I played your silly game but I couldn't leave without letting you know it meant something to me. That it wasn't just some drunken romp to forget and pretend didn't happen. I told you to, 'Say When'."

The mention of his note that lie in ashes on her coffee table sparked something inside her, "Oh how could I forget?!" Shaking her head she glared down at him as she pointed her finger at the ashes on the table. "The Note! Your move to re-establish the balance of power between us. To make me come to you, to break me down."

"That wasn't what I meant." He lowered his eyes, willing himself to look anywhere but at her once again.

Cutting him off for once, she continued, "You wanted to force me to realize and shamefully admit you were right! That's it isn't it! That one night with you wouldn't be enough for me. That I Love You!" As soon as the words came out, Liz's hand shot up, covering her mouth. The terror at her admission clearly visible on her face.

Red's head shot up at her admission. She loved him. He'd known she wanted him, that much had been obvious but love him? He'd never imagined it possible. So much so, that he was trying to find it in him to be apart of her life but to live with the reality that he would never be in her heart.

He had never dreamed of being worthy of her. The only thing he knew was that they had played this game for too long to continue battling against one another. When a sob escaped her mouth it spurred him into action.

Standing up from the couch, he quickly moved to her and took her in his arms and let her cry. "It wasn't a power move. As long as it took, I would wait for you and be by your side." Looking down on her and replaying those precious words in his head, he grabbed onto the suddenly feasible notion of being able to keep her. "Elizabeth," he said softly against her temple, "I love you too."

**A/N: I know. Why end it here? Their story has so many directions it can go but for now a happy ending is what I needed right now. I had a big writing spur and needed to finish this story. I hope you at least enjoyed it.**

**Always,  
Lady**


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